Fun in Sunday School is an topic of deep interest to me. And like all topics here, I cover fun three ways: This blog article, the video below and the article in our KIDS MINISTRY: WISDOM online magazine. This blog post covers the main point--how to make most Sunday School class activities much more fun--with three examples.
Click image to watch video
Here is the method we use in our Sunday School to amp up the fun. It's simple.
1. We form two teams that try to be the first to complete an activity. In other words, any student worksheet that features a game for individuals or small groups (unscramble words, board game with spinner, Concentration and the like) we turn into a large poster for all to see.
2. This is key: for most games, a team of kids get to take a turn only if they can answer a question based on the lesson's Bible story.
EXAMPLE ONE: Unscramble
Let's say you have five titles found in the Bible, titles for God. You've scrambled them up and the kids are challenged to figure them out. If you do this as an individual activity with each kid working alone, it's pretty dull. But make flash cards, one per word, to show one at a time. It doesn't matter if someone spots an answer right away, they can't speak until their team has answered a Bible question. Each wrong guess means the other team gets to try. If someone shouts a guess out of turn, the team loses their next turn.
EXAMPLE TWO: Board Games
Here we mean games where players spin to jump tokens along a path. The set up takes some time because you need to make a large-scale playing field on the wall or on a table (a small class could gather around a small game). Games taped to the wall can use paper tokens placed with tape. The best games are ones that have pitfalls such as 'go back two' and 'lose turn.' These can be labeled on the game path spaces. Remember, teams take turns only when they correctly answer questions based on the Bible story.
EXAMPLE THREE: Concentration
In this case you simply make letter-size Concentration cards for teams to choose. You the teacher turn up the cards teams point to. Tape to a wall or place on a table.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Not only does this tip bring up the energy level of the entire group, it offers another advantage you might not have thought of. Any student who does not want to be 'put on the spot' by playing a game alone or with another person, can hide in a team. Even though the player may not contribute, they tend to get in on the smiles and laughter and feel good if their team wins.
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